Surprise!

We sat at Breakfast Club in the Cafe talking about University Interviews and Youth Work Comprehension tests, when we were interrupted by Patrick, his eyes shining with excitement.

"I'll have a surprise for you tomorrow" he told me,
"...a bag of la-dee-dahs."

This is one of the many perks of working where I do - bags of la-dee-dahs!

(btw for anyone who doesn't know what 'la-dee-dahs' are - they are anything Patrick decides they are or puts in place of a word he may have forgotten and on this occasion I think he meant clementines)

Remembrance

Its the 11th minute...
of the 11th hour...
on the 11th day ...
of the 11th month...
..2 minutes silence...
apart from Patrick...who is wondering what its all about...
"Is it the Queen's birthday?" he asks
It might as well be ...It means nothing to him...
He can't remember what day of the week it is...
and for him... much is better off
forgotten.

Gardening

Patrick's Wonderful Gardening...he worked long and hard (its been reported) to create these artworks which will it seems help the plants grow up straight...

Patrick's gardening is a little like youthwork - it can sometimes be long and hard work creating measures, boundaries & safe areas for the young to grow within. However in reality we may not have the effect we intend but may provide support simply by being there or existing (in what ever form).

We may nurture the seedlings, meeting their needs providing them with food, water, shelter & light and some grow more than others while some don't seem to at all.

We try to remove the barriers to growing - the darkness, the hunger and the predators to give them a chance in life.

We try to be the gardeners in a sometimes wild and uncultivated garden watching the buds blossom of their own accord and grow towards the light (however haphazzardly).